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DALLAS (AP/105.3 THE FAN) – Dirk Nowitzki is a changed man on a Dallas Mavericks team that has again changed drastically.

The best sign for the Mavericks is their perennial All-Star saying Friday that he’s feeling good, refreshed and ready to go for his 15th NBA season.

Nowitzki just returned from nearly a month home in Germany to wrap up a summer break when he also got married. “We got married like five times over the summer.” said Dirk. “The good thing is I didn’t touch a ball for three and a half months, but now i’m fired up to get started again.”

The Mavericks had an extended summer after being swept in the first round of the playoffs only a year after winning their first NBA title. There are eight new players since last May, none of them named Deron Williams. Nowitzki is among only four player still around from the championship season that preceded the NBA lockout.

With all of the off-season moves Dirk said “it’s always tough to see teammates go but I think we did some nice moves. We got younger on the perimeter which was always our goal over the last couple of years – we’ve got some nice pieces [players] in and we’re going to have to see how they fit together at camp.”